Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda or Whiskey Lullaby, the song that this is based off of/inspired by.
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-Part One-
"You're going to skip your meeting at two o'clock and run off with Link for a bit, aren't you?" Impa stands in my doorway as I apply lipstick, gazing into my reflection on my dresser mirror. I'm startled by her sudden presence, causing my hand to shake and the pink tube of make-up smears onto my chin.
"W-What?" I turn around, wiping off the access lipstick onto my hand that is luckily glove-free at the moment. "No I'm not-"
She cuts me off. "You wouldn't be changing clothes mid-day or putting on anything on your face that would impress a man if you weren't. I was born at night but it wasn't last night, Princess Zelda."
I sigh at her mother-like intuition that has kept me in check over the years before I hear a clinking noise at my window. My pleading eyes meet piercing crimson ones from across the room after I glance back, knowing that my date has arrived and that it's up to her as to whether or not I can go with him. "I'm ahead on all the public project plans so if I miss it won't be too big of a deal."
"Where are your notes?"
I stumble upon my own feet to go to my dresser and grab the envelope that I put them in and hand them to her. She opens it and gazes at the contents with a careful eye. "I'll go to the meeting for you so everyone else can receive the information that you've prepared."
"Thank you Impa!" I hug her before turning to go to the balcony door where the clinking noise originated from.
"Wait." I turn to see her hand me my gloves and then she gestures towards the lipstick, reminding me of the last thing I had to do before I was completely ready to go. I finish prepping for the date and look at myself in the mirror from a distance, hoping that I look alright. Just then, another clinking noise comes from the balcony door. "Have fun." Impa bows and suddenly disappears. Then, I open the velvet curtains, letting natural light leak into my room. I open the door to step on the pebbles littered on my balcony beneath my feet.
"Sorry I took so long... Impa caught onto what I was going to do. She decided to cover for me." I call down to him as I shut the door and then use my feet to sweep the pebbles back to the courtyard below.
"Are you ready to go then?" He smiles as he gazes up to me.
"Yeah, I'll meet up with you at the front gate." I begin to turn towards the door again to make my speedy escape from my duties as Princess.
"Hold on," He says just as the door is flung open, the wind blowing it as close to the wall as the hinges will allow. "Jump down here, it'll be quicker."
"Y-you're insane!" I stutter as I look to the man below me clad in dirty farm hand clothing and a stupid grin that I hate to admit makes my heart melt at how adorable it is.
"No, but I suppose that there's a reason that it's within the first born daughter of the Royal Family's birthright to possess the Triforce of Wisdom." The mischievous look in his bright azure eyes fade and his grin lowers to a straight face. "I'll catch you." I swallow hard and for some reason I ignore every single fiber of my being that tells me that this is a stupid idea and approach the balcony railing. All I could really think to keep my mind off of the mind boggling height between me and the ground was the half-hearted joke that at least I wasn't wearing a dress right now or else this would really make me think twice about my decision to do as Link says. I stand on the railing and prepare to jump when yet another gust of wind comes by and utterly destroys the little balance I had. I snap my eyes shut as the wind flows through my braided hair as I fall for what seems to be forever... Until I take into account it's only mere seconds afterwords that Link fulfills his promise and catches me. I find comfort in his arms as I was saved from breaking a bone or two if he didn't act in time. "Are you alright?"
"M-More or less, I suppose..." My face heats up a bit when I realize that he's standing there holding me in his arms, which likely is getting rather uncomfortable for him by now. " Um... C-Can you let me down?"
"O-Oh, yeah. Sorry..." Link has a rather sheepish expression on his face as he sets me down on my feet, where I have to look slightly up to him.
"Thank you for catching me." I lightly peck him on the cheek in gratitude. His face lights up at this and he pats me on the head in response.
"No problem."
"So how are we leaving this time?" I smirk, knowing that this question always leads to an entertaining answer.
"How would you like to make a grand exit today?"
"You're letting me pick instead of having a surprise up your sleeve?" I raise an eyebrow, shocked by his answer.
"Well, it is your birthday today so why not let you pick?"
"Hm... Well I am kind of liking the idea of using the hookshot this time round to get outside the castle walls. It would be quickest."
"As you wish, my princess."
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"Will you tell me where we're going yet?" I ask for the umpteenth time in a row, still not able to guess as to where we're going based on the surroundings or how long it's taking to get there.
"I don't know where we're going." Link lets go of the reigns momentarily to shrug in a rather childish way. He grabs them again and then leans up to Epona's field of view. "Epona, do you know where?"As if on cue, the red-brown and white steed tosses its head to the side briefly.
"Link, at least give me a hint." I can't help but sound like a whiny child because the anticipation is slowly turning me inside out. Link has never done this before. Usually we would sneak out of the castle via whatever way possible that he concocts before we go to Kakariko Village or somewhere like that. I can't recall a time that it's taken this long to travel let alone his reluctance to reveal where we're going. I suppose that's why he decided to let me pick how we left...
"It's somewhere you love."
I roll my eyes at his response. "Well, gee. As the Princess of Hyrule you would think that I love everywhere in this country... So how about a real hint?"
"That is a hint. I mean, at least now you know I'm not taking you anywhere you hate." Link chuckles, fully aware of how irked he's making me.
"Fine, how about a different hint. A characteristic of this location?"
"You said a hint. I gave you a hint. Now you're just going to have to wait."
"You're mean..." I lay my head on his back, taking in the view from the side and move along with the jerking motions that come with riding a horse at a moderately fast speed. Suddenly the scenery becomes too familiar. I shoot my head up and look around as Link brings Epona to an eventual stop. "The lake!" I can't help but hug him from behind because of how happy I am to see it. Even after all these years, everything is as it was left. Crystal clear water, a rugged wooden bridge that is strung up to go from the land we're on to the little island of sorts that has the giant willow tree that Link and I would play under as kids.
"I thought I was mean."
"For not giving me a hint." I justify my name-calling before breaking the hug to dismount Epona.
"Fair enough I suppose." Link gets off and leads Epona to the water, wrapping the reins around a stump holding up the bridge so she'll stay there and drink the water.
"So this is where we're going to have our picnic?" He nods at my question before grabbing the blanket from Epona's saddle. I grab the basket filled with food and then begin to walk with him over to the Willow tree. Link tries to take the basket from me multiple times on the way there to trade me off for the blanket, but I insist on carrying the basket anyway. Reluctantly he ends up carrying the blanket all the way there and lays it down as I begin to unpack the food. Sandwiches, salad, watermelon slices, and two chu-chu bottled sodas are sprawled out on the blanket by the time I'm done grabbing everything out. "What's the occasion for coming here? We haven't been to Lake Hylia in years..."
"Well um... Actually I brought you here because we need to talk about something if that's alright with you."
"Yeah, of course." Link's usual composure is completely non-existent. His face just screams bewilderment and shyness, something that he usually doesn't experience... or at least he doesn't show it. "Is something wrong?"
"D-do you remember how we used to play under this tree as kids, playing hero? How we didn't even know that one day, that would become some sort of reality for us both?"
"Yeah." I answer, confused as to where he is going with this.
"Remember the time I climbed the tree and got stuck up there and when you asked why I even went up there I said it was because I was mad that you were taller than me at the time?" I laugh at his question, vividly picturing this event from years and years ago as if it happened yesterday. I nod in response. "Well, there was an actual reason why I went up there besides that, but I didn't say anything to you about it out of embarrassment..."
"Oh really?" My voice chimes in a flirtatious way as I tilt my head to the side.
"Do you want to see why?"
"Okay." Instead of deciding to go through the hassle of climbing the tree, Link instead grabs out his hookshot once again and wraps one of his arms around my waist. He shoots the hookshot into the tree and suddenly we're yanked from the ground and pulled up to the branch. By the time he puts the hookshot away and we're both comfortably sitting on the branch, I've already seen it. In response I just straight up kiss him. "Yes." I murmur. His lips press against mine yet again.
Granted, he lied just a moment ago but with good reason. I expected him to do something like carve our names into the tree and end up seeing a ten-year-old carving by the time I got up there, but instead I was presented with a question. Carved carefully and neatly into the tree was something that was just recently written from the looks of it. Probably one of the most important four word question one could be asked in their life time. Our lips remain locked, as if we were trying to protect the secrets beating in our hearts from the rest of the world, for us to savor. Suddenly, I'm given the key to the lock. Link slips a ring onto my finger. I stare at it in awe. A beautiful emerald ring with a gold band sits over my gray silk gloved hand. "I know it's not much... but it was something I found in my uncle's house before he passed. It was probably my aunt's."
It's only now that I realize that I've been crying tears of joy. "Link," I shake my head. "It's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful."
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"It's about time he brought you home. You're late for your own birthday celebration!" Impa says as I sit out in the balcony, gazing in the distance longingly at the sunset in the direction that Link left.
"Impa!" I turn around to her, grinning as I hold up my ringed hand.
"For a man bearing the Triforce of Courage, he sure did take a long time to ask you for your hand in marriage." She laughs before hugging me. "Now, come on. You have to get ready for the ball."
"Yes, Impa." We walk inside and I change clothes yet again, this time into a dress that I had specially put up for today. An heirloom of sorts to the daughters of the Royal family, my grandmother's dress. A dress that changes colors based on where light hits it, the lightest part being green as it transfers to blue and then purple. When I would ask her what it was made of when I was younger, she would laugh and reply, 'Magic, my dear. Magic.' I suppose a bit of magic would be interesting to have on this rather interesting twenty second birthday of mine.
"Do you need help with anything?"
"Could you put my hair up... like what you did when I was little?" She grabs out a brush from my dresser along with bobby pins and a rubber band. After sitting still patiently for twenty minutes or so, I look in the mirror to observe her handiwork.
"One more thing..." Impa grabs out something from her bag and clips it to the side of my head, just behind my right ear. A blue rose on a barrette.
"It's so beautiful." I awe in amazement of how it looks. "I've never seen a blue one before." I take my eyes off of my reflection for a moment to go ahead and take off my dirtied gloves, carefully putting the ring on my dresser.
"They symbolize impossible miracles due to it's exotic color."
"Impossible miracles, huh? Sounds interesting... Maybe we can try to get a blue rose bush in the courtyard eventually." I put on black gloves before putting on my engagement ring once again.
"If that's what you would like then I'm sure we can do that." She grins at me. "For now you should be heading downstairs to greet your guests."
"Alright. Thank you Impa." I get up from my chair and go outside my room towards the ball room. The hallways that are normally bustling with servants are now empty, everyone preoccupied with the party. So I don't have anyone to talk to for this brief amount of time and the only noise is my shoes on the marble floor echoing through out the hall. I reach the giant double doors within a few minutes. Despite how thick the wood is, I can still hear the music as well as the people on the other side of it, awaiting my arrival. I hold my breath as I put my hands against the door and open it. All eyes go towards me as I enter the room at the top of the staircase. My father stands at the bottom of the steps with a grin on his face. In the back, I see Link sitting at a table by himself with Impa talking to him, as she somehow got to the room before I did. I don't bother questioning it since she seems to abuse her ability to warp sometimes for the sake of getting places quicker. I go down the stairs and join hands with my father as he kisses the back of my hand. It's then that he takes notice of my ring.
"My dear Zelda, could this be...?" I nod.
"Link Gale." Father calls out to the crowd. Everyone looks around and then Link emerges from the sea of people to approach us. I'm scared to see what happens next, as both Link and I look each other in the eye with a secret wish that we could see the future for just a brief moment to catch a glimpse as to what is in store. "My boy, I couldn't be happier for you and my daughter!" He grins widely as he brings Link into a bear hug. "Everyone. I'm proud to announce the engagement of my daughter and the nephew of my best friend, Sir Alfon."
This makes the crowd erupt in applause, leaving Link and I to sheepishly hold hands as we don't know how to react to this. "May the goddesses bless this bond between Hyrule's Princess and Hero." My grandmother chimes in as she's wheeled into the room from the top of the stairs by a servant. Everyone raises their glasses to this and pours the drink down their throat. Grandmother is brought down the steps carefully and then Link bows.
"Queen Tetra, King Gaepora. Thank you for your blessings."
"Please stop with the formalities, Link. You're practically family already." She smiles. "Now go on you two, enjoy your night together."
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I open my eyes to see the picture of Link and I from a week ago on my birthday. Ever since the announcement of our engagement there's been a lot of people pestering Link as to how he's able to marry me despite not being of noble blood. Others quietly went on to their own business and didn't concern themselves with it. But overall, news traveled fast from the first class that was present at the party all the way to third class. Everyone knew Link prior to this as the hero of Hyrule, but little did they know that we had been childhood friends from the start because his uncle is the Knight Captain and had fought along side my father when Ganondorf's forces tried to take over Hyrule. Now our personal lives have been exploited and depicted as the turning of a new age where nobility was slowly becoming something accessible to the common man. It was something to raise the morale of the people, as most in Hyrule are experiencing broken families since many of the men are off to war in Termina due to the treaty violation. But Impa had told me that the war was looking like it was going to end soon, so maybe this was a way to keep everyone's mind off the number of casualties to be announced later. It wouldn't spare the heartbreak, but it would be something right?
"Princess," Impa knocks on the door. "Are you awake?"
"Yes, Impa." I respond, sitting up in bed.
"You have today off from your duties, I just came to inform you of it. Link said he would be here soon to visit with you." I can't believe my own ears at what she's telling me. A day off from duties was nearly nonexistent in the castle, and normally Link would discuss it with me first as to whether or not he planned on coming over.
"Alright." I try not to question it, taking into account the national holiday that would leave the day being slow on paper work and meetings. Instead I decide to get up and get ready to see Link.
A bit after I'm ready, there's a knock at the door. "Mi'lady, breakfast is ready downstairs."
"Coming." I get up from my bed and then exit, going to the dining room down the hall. I open the door to see my family along with Link sitting at the dining table, strange enough. "Good morning." I greet everyone before taking a seat. Father and Link exchange looks before looking down at their food and taking bites.
"Good morning, Zel." Grandmother smiles as she sits across the table from me.
"Good morning." Father and Link greet simultaneously. The room falls silent again as everyone begins to eat. A rather strange sight indeed. Usually Grandmother would be talking about some flowers she saw in the flower shop in Castle Town, a place she frequented. Father would be complaining about some meeting he was in where there's always that person who's late or doesn't have anything prepared before hand to bring into the discussion. And Link... Well he's usually silent during meals. But for him to show up at a meal and dine with us was a first.
I bother to question this after everyone is done eating. "Is something wrong...?"
"Can we step out into the courtyard for a moment?" Link clears his throat. I nod, a knot forming in my stomach.
"Is something wrong?" I ask again as soon as we're in the luke-warm sunlight of the morning as we sit by the tree in the courtyard.
"I need to talk to you about something..." He begins. "Your father... he was telling me about the current state we're in as far as the war goes. Uncle Alfon died in battle."
"Link, I-I'm so sorry..."
"He needs someone to take my uncle's place and lead the troops. It's a mess over there and if we don't have anyone ordering them around that knows what they're doing then we're going to lose this war."
"Do you mean...?"
"It was requested unanimously by the council that I go take his place in battle for the time being until or if the second in command officer can be located and deemed still able to fight." He can't even look me in the eye at this point. Tears roll down my face and I don't even bother to hide it. I'm scared out of my mind right now. I thought everything had been going right. But with just one slice of a sword... The outcome of the war may change. I can't ask him to stay. It would be selfish. Old men who had served previously in the war had to go even if they were retired. It just mattered that they were in working condition. So many fathers are absent in the lives of their beloved children in my country because of this. Having a crown and a title doesn't give me the right to be immune to the possibility of the man I love having to leave me to go fight.
"I... I understand." I shut my eyes and let more tears spill. "When do you have to leave?"
"...Tomorrow morning." I lose the strength to stand on my feet and I find myself slowly sinking to the ground. "Zelda?" Link worryingly asks as he catches me. "Are you alright?" I don't respond. I just continue to cry like a small child. He lowers me down and we both sit in the grass as he holds me.
As I bury my face into his shirt, I feel drops hit my head. I look up, confused since I don't recall seeing any clouds in the sky. I'm mistaken. Clouds have gathered in my sky. My beautiful blue sky that is looking down at me with the same pain I feel. He shuts his eyes to try to stop his tears but he can't. "I'm sorry." Wipe the tears from his eyes without considering doing that to my own as I look at him through blurred vision. "I'm sorry..."